Mauricio Pochettino wants United job

The Argentine still has four-and-a-half years left on his contract at Spurs, a new stadium on the horizon and a Champions League campaign to mastermind.

But according to The Times, Pochettino believes the position at Old Trafford would be too good to refuse.

The report states that Ed Woodward and the United board would have to pay £34million in compensation to secure Pochettino’s services which, in addition to Mourinho’s reported £24m payout, would take the figure beyond £50m.

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Lucas Torreira to Real Madrid

The Uruguayan has been in sensational form since joining for £26million from Sampdoria.

But according to Ladbrokes, his exploits have attracted plenty of interest from ‘European heavyweights’ including Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester City.

"He may have only just touched down in North London but Torreira is turning heads and plenty of European heavyweights are queuing up for his signature with Madrid leading the way,” said Alex Apati of Ladbrokes.

NLD team news

Arsenal head coach Unai Emery has a number of selection headaches ahead of Wednesday night's Carabao Cup quarter-final at home to rivals Tottenham.

Full-backs Hector Bellerin (calf) and Sead Kolasinac (thigh) will not be risked, while centre-back duo Rob Holding (knee) and Konstantinos Mavropanos (groin) are still sidelined - although Sokratis Papastathopoulos is back after a ban.

Shkodran Mustafi (hamstring) is being assessed while Emery will not want to rely on fit-again Laurent Koscielny three times in a week - Danny Welbeck (ankle) and Emile Smith Rowe (hip) also miss out.

Unai Emery on Jose Mourinho

"The only thing I can say to you is that it's a surprise for me and not good news, because when one coach finishes his work like that, it's not good for coaches," he said. "Each coach has their own way of management.

“They always think how they can be better with the work they do every day, their management team and the players collectively and individually.

"They're pushing with one way or another way. Mourinho's experience in the Premier League and of coaching in general is very, very big.

“It's not good news, but I don't know why this decision has been made."

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Arsenal leading Pepe race

Arsenal are leading the race to sign Lille winger Nicolas Pepe.

French newspaper L'Equipe reckon Lille are open to negotiate over the £45m-rated star.

It remains to be seen whether the Ligue 1 side are willing to sell in the January transfer window.

However, Unai Emery is keen to bolster his attacking ranks following Danny Welbeck’s season-ending injury earlier this year.

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Emery wants passion

Unai Emery insists football needs passion as he urged his players to show emotion in Wednesday's Carabao Cup quarter-final meeting with rivals Tottenham.

The Gunners sealed a 4-2 victory over their north London neighbours in the Premier League fixture on December 2 in a match that had several flash-points.

Eric Dier equalised for the visitors at the Emirates Stadium before his finger-to-lips celebration sparked a fracas between the two sets of players.

There were also several arrests made amongst the supporters with a Tottenham fan handed a four-year football ban and a £500 fine for throwing a banana skin towards Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as he celebrated his opening goal in front of the away fans.

Despite those incidents, Emery wants emotions to be running high when the two sides meet again so soon after his first taste of the north London derby.

"I said to you that I think showing emotion is very important," he said. "I think football is emotion. In a derby, maybe this emotion is greater. When you win it's amazing, when you lose it's horrible. Respect is very important.

"We can show this emotion with respect when we are playing but also when they scored against us, they can show their emotion with their supporters. But with respect. We need to show this emotion when we are playing, when we are winning, because I think football needs this passion."

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Wanted: Emiliano Martinez

Rennes are planning a January bid for Arsenal goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, reports claim.

Rennes, who are currently 11th in Ligue 1, are scouring the transfer market to find a replacement for Tomas Koubek.

Koubek is expected to leave the club and Martinez, 26, is high on their shortlist of potential replacements.

Martinez is firmly behind Bernd Leno and Petr Cech at the Emirates Stadium - and Unai Emery may allow the Argentine goalkeeper to leave on a permanent basis.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on Paul Pogba

Should Manchester United sell Paul Pogba? That was a question put in August to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who is now being tipped to become their interim manager.

Solskjaer was asked in August about Pogba, who he managed in the United reserves.

“I would [build the team around him]. Absolutely no doubt,” Solskjaer - currently manager of Molde - said ahead of a Europa League game with Hibs.

“I had him with David [Gray] and Etzaz [Hussain] who is playing for me [against Hibs]. That just shows how far the kid has come.

“Paul is a fantastic kid. So hopefully we can build the team around him and keep him."

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Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo wanted to join Juventus in January.

That has been revealed by his agent Jorge Mendes with the Portuguese star making the switch from Real Madrid in the summer.

"He is the best player in the history of the game, so a lot of teams wanted him," Mendes said. "Even so, Juve deserve a lot of credit for making this deal happen.

"Cristiano told me back in January that he wanted to join the Bianconeri.

“At that moment in time, I did not think that a deal would be possible, but I guess that I was wrong.

"I met up with [Fabio] Paratici and [Pavel] Nedved before the Juve-Real game in Turin [in April] and I then met up with [Andrea] Agnelli, too.

“That's when I started to believe that a deal was possible."

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Title favourites

Jurgen Klopp believes the title is still Manchester City's to lose despite guiding Liverpool to the top of the Premier League.

Klopp's Reds are a point above champions City after 17 games following last weekend's victory over Manchester United but the German is in no doubt Pep Guardiola's men remain the favourites.

"Only City can stop City, to be honest," said Klopp.

With Liverpool and City playing at different times in recent weeks, one side has known the other's result going into a game.

Last weekend City played first but this week it will be Liverpool. The Merseysiders face Wolves on Friday before the champions take on Crystal Palace the following day.

He said: "I would say we are always motivated at the highest level so where could we put this extra portion, saying if City lost then it makes us more motivated? That doesn't work. We are really concentrating on our situation.

"But we are in December. Tottenham, Chelsea, Arsenal - they are so close. I shouldn't think about one opponent or we are the only one that can stop City."